ARB Air Locker install tips?

[RollinYotas]

The ARB air locker is going in my rear differential next week. I hear of some problems of air leaks or oil backing up the air line into the compressor, etc. How do we avoid some of these problems? Has the design changed or manufacturing gotten better over the last few years?

 

[hoser]

Clogged diff breather can cause the oil to back up. The O-rings in ARB sometimes blow out. I can only guess excessive pressure makes it worse. I've been meaning to reduce the pressure rating on my compressor but haven't done it yet.

Cruiser Outfitters

ARB Air Locker Troubleshoot FAQ

 

[RollinYotas]

Clogged diff breather can cause the oil to back up. The O-rings in ARB sometimes blow out. I can only guess excessive pressure makes it worse. I've been meaning to reduce the pressure rating on my compressor but haven't done it yet.

Cruiser Outfitters

ARB Air Locker Troubleshoot FAQ

I changed the diff breather because I had blown seals but I'm probably doing the extension with fuel filters like chowcares channel does. I'm probably going to follow the fuel filler neck to the highest point.

 

[RollinYotas]

Clogged diff breather can cause the oil to back up. The O-rings in ARB sometimes blow out. I can only guess excessive pressure makes it worse. I've been meaning to reduce the pressure rating on my compressor but haven't done it yet.

Cruiser Outfitters

ARB Air Locker Troubleshoot FAQ

How do you reduce the pressure rating?

 

[hoser]

Pressure switch that goes into the compressor manifold. This one is sold by ARB but I "think" any brand will do. This one switches on at 70psi and off at 100psi. Some ARB compressors come with 135/150 switches. And there are choices in between but 70 is the lowest I would go. It will noticeably activate slower though.

 

[RollinYotas]

The one that the arb brushless compressor is a 135-150 which is great for tires but a lot more pressure for the lockers.

 

[hoser]

You can run that pressure switch and then do an adjustable pressure regulator on the output for the rear locker. Again, I don't have any evidence this will reduce the chance of blowing the internal ARB locker seals but it sounds logical.

 

[RollinYotas]

I wonder if I could run regulator for the locker and one for the tires.

 

[hoser]

Why would you need a regulator for the tires?

 

[RollinYotas]

Why would you need a regulator for the tires?

I would just run the regulator it comes with. But add one to lower pressure on the locker. If that's even possible.

 

[hoser]

Yes, the one that comes with it is a pressure switch, max 150psi. The adjustable device is a pressure regulator and that would just go between the ARB air control solenoid and the ARB locker. There a different style of regulators... I don't know which one would work best in this application.

 

[Hulsty]

You dont need a regulator for the locker.

 

[RollinYotas]

You dont need a regulator for the locker.

How does the locker keep from being over pressurized? It seems like air leaks is the achilles heel of the locker.

 

[hoser]

The standard ARB compressor shuts off at 150psi. The lockers can handle 150psi according to ARB. You asked what can be done to avoid problems and I said, amongst other things, lowering the pressure might help.

 

[Hulsty]

How does the locker keep from being over pressurized? It seems like air leaks is the achilles heel of the locker.

ARB design the system to work together, including the pressure switch on the compressor, I believe they can also withstand much more than 150psi. You are thinking of the air leaks in the wrong manner, its not a pressure related problem, air leaks are usually a install problem, ie misalignment, not taking due care, nicking a seal etc.

 

[hoser]

ARB design the system to work together, including the pressure switch on the compressor, I believe they can also withstand much more than 150psi. You are thinking of the air leaks in the wrong manner, its not a pressure related problem, air leaks are usually a install problem, ie misalignment, not taking due care, nicking a seal etc.

Yes, they are designed to work together but the ARB mini, which is specifically for Air Lockers uses a 70-100psi switch probably due to the limitation of the compressor itself. The ARB twin compressor uses 135-150psi switch.

I currently have 6 ARB air lockers, installed by three supposedly reputable installers. Two of them have internal leaks in the differential. And they are both front diffs.... which get activated less often than the rears. The only difference is the front air line is 6ft long and the rear air line is 16ft long.

Yes, the leaks you mentioned are the most common reasons for failure. But if you took the perfect install in a controlled environment, one locker subjected to 150psi over thousands of activation cycles and another at just 100psi, I'm sure the system at the lower pressure will last longer. The difference may or may not be significant but the OP's original question is "how can I reduce my chances of have air leak issues."

 

[RollinYotas]

Yes, they are designed to work together but the ARB mini, which is specifically for Air Lockers uses a 70-100psi switch probably due to the limitation of the compressor itself. The ARB twin compressor uses 135-150psi switch.

I currently have 6 ARB air lockers, installed by three supposedly reputable installers. Two of them have internal leaks in the differential. And they are both front diffs.... which get activated less often than the rears. The only difference is the front air line is 6ft long and the rear air line is 16ft long.

Yes, the leaks you mentioned are the most common reasons for failure. But if you took the perfect install in a controlled environment, one locker subjected to 150psi over thousands of activation cycles and another at just 100psi, I'm sure the system at the lower pressure will last longer. The difference may or may not be significant but the OP's original question is "how can I reduce my chances of have air leak issues."

I'm curious how old the ones that are leaking are. It may be a problem from earlier years that have been engineered out.